Of that total, $1.3 million will be spent on renovating and selling 20 vacant homes as part of a “affordable historic home revitalization initiative” in the Far South Side neighborhood, according to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration. Another $200,000 will be used to buy 15 buildings in the area that will be turned into about 40 rental properties.

In addition, the city will kick in $400,000 to help prospective home buyers finance the purchase of the rehabbed homes.

Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, and the mayor have been pushing to have the Pullman neighborhood designated a national historical park. The neighborhood — once a “company town” where sleeper rail cars bearing George Pullman's name were built starting in the late 1800s — is currently a historic district.

WASHINGTON — Three Illinois lawmakers said Friday they plan to introduce legislation designating the Pullman Historic District as a national historical park, which would make it part of the National Park Service.